How capable is the DPRK of defeating the ROK and especially repelling the USA militarily? How capable are they of resisting economic pressures? Regardless of their capabilities in these two areas, how have they gained such capabilities?
The DPRK has built up incredible resistance to economic warfare and is self-sufficient in several areas. The few areas where they are reliant on outside support, mainly oil, is currently a priority for the government and they’re making great progress. The rolling blackouts in Pyongyang that were a staple of life post USSR collapse have mostly diminished, for example.
No one will deny that the DPRK and ROK both have powerful militaries. The ROK is more powerful on paper, but the DPRK has several advantages. They have one of the most disciplined armies in the world (which was already a key factor during the Korean war). The tunnel systems near the DMZ make Hamas and Hezbollah’s tunnels look like child’s play. There is universal arming and weapons training of the entire populace through the Worker-Peasant Red Guards and affiliated organizations, and the citizenry are highly ideologically motivated and educated. This means that if the DPRK government even were to collapse, the US would have to fight off an insurgency much larger and better organized than the one in Iraq. Not to mention that the ROK’s economy and military is completely reliant on the US and an American pullout would lead to a rapid takeover. Oh, and the DPRK has nukes.
Firstly for the size of their army they have ~1,280,000 active personnel (~4th, between US and Russia), 600,000 reserve and 5,700,000 paramilitary (overall 1st in the world with 7580000 personnel).
They have 5845 tanks (2nd in the world to Russia) and ~11920 artillery (2nd again to Russia)
They have 35 submarines (4th to Russia, USA and China)
The short border will be deadly, expect Seoul to be fully destroyed.
There’s no way the USA and/or nukes won’t get involved if Seoul is fully destroyed. Seoul and South Korea in general play a (somewhat) major part in the world economy, at least compared to the DPRK. There’s no way that the majority of the world’s countries who trade with the ROK will want them to fall to one of the most economically isolated countries in the world.
